  
First up came Pestifer. Loud and heavy they certainly got things off to a good start with some good quality death metal. The vocals were good and there was some nice guitar work, but overall they were good but not outstanding.
Svart Crown came next. As a French extreme metal band, comparisons with Gojira are inevitable (but let's face it, most people would struggle to name any French metal bands other than Gojira). Having seen Gojira most recently at Bloodstock, Svart Crown certainly stand up very well to the comparison, but if anything they are heavier and better than Gojira. This was my first time seeing them live, and I hope it's not the last - these guys really were excellent.
Ex Deo came next, and after being impressed by their performance at Bloodstock a few weeks ago, I was really looking forward to their set. With the roman banners behind them, they take to the stage in their leather armour and set about putting in one hell of a good performance. These guys feel like the headliners with their epic performance. It's heavy and powerful but a little less growly than the other bands on the bill, so it's easier to hear the lyrics clearly. They go down really well with the crowd tonight, and after tonight I'll definitely be making the effort to check out some of their albums.
Ex Deo setlist:
Legio XIII
The Tiberius Cliff (Exile to Capri)
The Final War (Battle of Actium)
I, Caligvla
Pollice Verso (Damnatio ad Bestia)
Teutoburg (ambush of varus)
Romulus
Finally came tonight's headliners, Nile. In terms of popularity they are the clear winners judging by how crazy the fans get as soon as they come on stage. After the Roman legion of Ex Deo we get the Egyptian themed songs of Nile. In some ways it's surprising that no other death metal bands have gone for an Egyptian theme - after all the ancient Egyptian culture has strong ties to death with their building of Necropolis, monumental tombs such as the pyramids, and having a god of death. Nile though have this rich source of lyrical themes to themselves. Surprisingly there's no visual ties other than the pictures on the drum skins, the egyptian theme is limited to the songs themselves.
Nile play a full power set, blasting through songs from across the length of their career. It's certainly a crowd-pleasing set, and although I personally preferred Ex Deo, it wasn't hard to see why Nile were the headliners - these guys are very impressive live, and I'd definitely recommend seeing them live if you're a death metal fan.
A great night with some excellent bands.
Nile setlist:
Sacrifice Unto Sebek
Defiling the Gates of Ishtar
Kafir!
Hittite Dung Incantation
Enduring the Eternal Molestation of Flame
The Inevitable Degradation of Flesh
Supreme Humanism of Megalomania
The Blessed Dead
The Howling of the Jinn
Ithyphallic
Sarcophagus
Smashing the Antiu
Unas Slayer of the Gods
Black Seeds of Vengeance |
